Post-Flood Eco-Anxiety: A Phenomenological Study of Flood Survivors
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Renchia Sinaga(1*)
State University of Surabaya
http://orcid.org/0009-0006-1901-1756
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Siti Jaro'ah(2)
State University of Surabaya
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6923-883X
(*) Corresponding Author
Keywords:
Eco-Anxiety, Floods in Sumatra, Flood Survivors, Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale, Phenomenology
Abstract
Introduction Eco-anxiety refers to anxiety related to environmental threats and uncertainty about future environmental conditions. Most existing research has focused on general populations, while evidence on eco-anxiety among individuals directly exposed to environmental disasters remains limited, especially in developing countries.
Aim This study explores the lived experiences of eco-anxiety among flood survivors in Tapanuli Tengah Regency, North Sumatra, following the November 2025 flash floods.
Result Three themes emerged: emotional responses to environmental stimuli, recurring thoughts about the flood and the environment in the future, and disruptions to daily functioning intertwined with post-flood economic difficulties.
Conclusion Eco-anxiety following direct flood exposure was reflected not only in emotional responses to environmental cues but also in recurring concerns about future flooding and its implications for everyday safety and livelihood recovery. Psychological support for flood survivors may therefore benefit from addressing both responses to the past disaster and concerns about future environmental threats, alongside livelihood recovery and disaster preparedness.
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References
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Z., H., M, Norsida., K, N. Hirawaty., & M. N, N. (2017). The Post-flood Impacts on Farmers, Agricultural Sector and Food Security in Kelantan. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(9), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i9/3316
Zhang, T., & Okazawa, R. (2023). Managing Neutrality, Rapport, and Antiracism in Qualitative Interviews. Qualitative Research, 23(6), 1689–1713. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941221110183
Zhong, S., Yang, L., Toloo, S., Wang, Z., Tong, S., Sun, X., Crompton, D., FitzGerald, G., & Huang, C. (2018). The Long-Term Physical and Psychological Health Impacts of Flooding: A Systematic Mapping. Science of The Total Environment, 626, 165–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.041
Alase, A. (2017). The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative Research Approach. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 5(2), 9. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.5n.2p.9
Albrecht, G. (2011). Chronic Environmental Change: Emerging ‘Psychoterratic’ Syndromes. In: Weissbecker, I. (eds): Climate Change and Human Well-Being: Global Challenges and Opportunities (pp. 43–56). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9742-5_3
Apriyanto, N., & Setyawan, D. (2020). Gambaran Tingkat Resiliensi Masyarakat Desa Sriharjo, Imogiri Pasca Banjir. Journal of Holistic Nursing and Health Science, 3(2), 21–29.
Betro’, S. (2024). From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Hope: Surviving the Climate Change Threat. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1429571
BNPB. (2026). Update Penanganan Darurat Bencana Banjir & Tanah Longsor. Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVcfzrVElnL/?img_index=4&igsh=MWs0OTU2a28xdjUzMw==/tanggal 1 Mei 2026.
Boyd, C. P., Jamieson, J., Gibson, K., Duffy, M., Williamson, M., & Parr, H. (2024). Eco‐Anxiety among Regional Australian Youth with Mental Health Problems: A Qualitative Study. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 18(12), 1022–1031. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.13549
Brügger, A., Demski, C., & Capstick, S. (2021). How Personal Experience Affects Perception of and Decisions Related to Climate Change: A Psychological View. Weather, Climate, and Society, 13(3), 397–408. https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-20-0100.1
Candela, A. (2019). Exploring the Function of Member Checking. The Qualitative Report, 24(3), 619–628. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3726
Clayton, S. (2020). Climate Anxiety: Psychological Responses to Climate Change. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 74, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102263
Cruz, J., White, P. C. L., Bell, A., & Coventry, P. A. (2020). Effect of Extreme Weather Events on Mental Health: A Narrative Synthesis and Meta-Analysis for the UK. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228581
Foudi, S., Osés‐Eraso, N., & Galarraga, I. (2017). The Effect of Flooding on Mental Health: Lessons Learned for Building Resilience. Water Resources Research, 53(7), 5831–5844. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017WR020435
García, F. E., Cova, F., Rincón, P., & Vázquez, C. (2015). Trauma or Growth After a Natural Disaster? The Mediating Role of Rumination Processes. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 6(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v6.26557
Golitaleb, M., Mazaheri, E., Bonyadi, M., & Sahebi, A. (2022). Prevalence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder After Flood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.890671
Hickman, C. (2020). We Need to (Find a Way to) Talk About … Eco-anxiety. Journal of Social Work Practice, 34(4), 411–424. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2020.1844166
Hogg, T. L., Stanley, S. K., O’Brien, L. V., Wilson, M. S., & Watsford, C. R. (2021). The Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale: Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Scale. Global Environmental Change, 71, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102391
Kaligis, F., Pramatirta, B., Darmawan, M. D., & Adnyani, C. I. A. D. (2025). Eco-Anxiety in Indonesian Adolescents and Young Adults and Its Influencing Factors. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 30(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2025.2553733
Kirin, A., Ismail, F. H., Sahimi, M. S., & Mohammad, C. A. (2025). The Mental Health Level of Flood Victims and Relationship with Disaster Impact in Sri Medan Batu Pahat Johor, Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i1/23406
Lavee, E., & Itzchakov, G. (2023). Good Listening: A Key Element in Establishing Quality in Qualitative Research. Qualitative Research, 23(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941211039402
Leal-Soto, F., Carmona-Halty, M., & Ferrer-Urbina, R. (2016). Rumination in Post-Traumatic Stress and Growth After a Natural Disaster: A Model from Northern Chile 2014 Earthquakes. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 7(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.31638
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Establishing Trustworthiness. In Naturalistic Inquiry (pp. 289–327).
Makwana, N. (2019). Disaster and Its Impact on Mental Health: A Narrative Review. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(10), 3090–3095. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_893_19
Mosca, A., Luciani, D., Chiappini, S., Miuli, A., Cianconi, P., Pettorruso, M., Janiri, L., & Martinotti, G. (2025). Eco-Anxiety and Mental Health: Correlates of Climate Change Distress. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(12), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22121768
Nizza, I. E., Farr, J., & Smith, J. A. (2021). Achieving Excellence in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): Four Markers of High Quality. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 369–386. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1854404
Philip, N. A., & V, V. (2023). Impact of Flooding on Mental Health and Resilience of Adolescents in Kerala, India. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103926
Pietkiewicz, I., & Smith, J. A. (2014). A Practical Guide to Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in Qualitative Research Psychology. Czasopismo Psychologiczne Psychological Journal, 20(1), 7–14. https://doi.org/10.14691/CPPJ.20.1.7
Pitt, C., Norris, K., & Pecl, G. (2023). A Systematic Review of Climate Emotions and Mental Health in Adults. Global Environmental Psychology, 1, 1–40. https://doi.org/10.5964/gep.11405
Pusat Data Informasi dan Komunikasi Kebencanaan. (2025a). Data dan Informasi Kebencanaan Bulanan Teraktual. Retrieved from: https://www.bnpb.go.id/informasi-bencana/buletin-info-bencana-desember-2025/tanggal 1 Mei 2026.
Pusat Data Informasi dan Komunikasi Kebencanaan. (2025b). Infografis Sebaran Kejadian Bencana Alam Periode 1 Januari - 31 Desember 2025. Retrieved from: https://bnpb.go.id/infografis/infografis-bencana-tahun-2025/tanggal 1 Mei 2026.
Robin, C., Beck, C., Armstrong, B., Waite, T. D., Rubin, G. J., Waite, T. D., Beck, C. R., Amlôt, R., Kovats, S., Armstrong, B., Leonardi, G., Rubin, G. J., Oliver, I., Waite, T. D., Beck, C. R., Amlôt, R., Kovats, S., Armstrong, B., Leonardi, G., … Oliver, I. (2020). Impact of Flooding on Health-Related Quality of Life in England: Results from the National Study of Flooding and Health. European Journal of Public Health, 30(5), 942–948. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa049
Shalih, O., Adi, A. W., Wiguna, S., Shabrina, F. Z., Rizqi, A., Putra, A. S., Karimah, R., Eveline, F., Alfian, A., Syauqi, Septian, R. T., Widiastomo, Y., Bagaskoro, Y., Dewi, A. N., Rahmawati, I., Seniarwan, Hafizh, A., Suryaningrum, H. A., Purnamasiwi, D. I., … Iftidah, A. (2023). RISIKO BENCANA INDONESIA “Memahami Risiko Sistemik di Indonesia” (R. Yunus, Ed.). Pusat Data Informasi Komunikasi Bencana Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana.
Z., H., M, Norsida., K, N. Hirawaty., & M. N, N. (2017). The Post-flood Impacts on Farmers, Agricultural Sector and Food Security in Kelantan. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(9), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i9/3316
Zhang, T., & Okazawa, R. (2023). Managing Neutrality, Rapport, and Antiracism in Qualitative Interviews. Qualitative Research, 23(6), 1689–1713. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941221110183
Zhong, S., Yang, L., Toloo, S., Wang, Z., Tong, S., Sun, X., Crompton, D., FitzGerald, G., & Huang, C. (2018). The Long-Term Physical and Psychological Health Impacts of Flooding: A Systematic Mapping. Science of The Total Environment, 626, 165–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.041
Published
2026-09-30
How to Cite
Sinaga, R., & Jaro’ah, S. (2026). Post-Flood Eco-Anxiety: A Phenomenological Study of Flood Survivors. Journal of Health and Behavioral Science, 8(3), 275-293. https://doi.org/10.35508/jhbs.v8i3.30270
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2026 Renchia Sinaga, Siti Jaro'ah
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